Museum of Australian Democracy

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Oral histories on the topic 'aborigines'

Issy Wyner

Issy Wyner (1916-2008)

Issy Wyner was born at Paddington, Sydney, in 1916 and grew up in the Rozelle-Balmain area. This interview was recorded specifically for his recollections of life in working class Sydney during the 1930s Depression, as part of research and preparation for the museum’s 2007 exhibition *Scarred and...
Topics: Aborigines, Al Jolson, Albert Robbie, Anatole France, Apia Club, Bankstown, Bar Mitzvah, Bill Telford, Balmain, Cabinet-makers, Carbonetti’s (fish business), Card games, Charles Bellamour, Charles Darwin, Cinemas, Cockatoo Island, Communist International, Communist Party of Australia, Cricket, Darling Street (Balmain), Dawn Fraser, Demonstrations, Depression 1930s, Dole, Dress-makers, Drummoyne, Elkington Park Baths, England, Estonia, Evictions, Family background, Fort Street school, George Bernard Shaw, Glebe, Glebe Town Hall, H G Wells, Hebrew, Irish, Israel, Italians, Jack Sylvester, Jack Trainer, Jews, Latvia, Leichhardt Council, Leichhardt Stadium, Local government, Marrickville, Methodist Mission, Middle East, Music, New Guinea, Picnics, Police, Queen, Victoria Building, Ramsay MacDonald, Relief work, Religion, Rozelle, Russia, Schooling, Scots, Shaun O’Carroll, Socialism, South Africa, The Domain, Tivoli, Unemployed Workers Movement, Unemployment, Vaudeville, Volunteer Hotel, Waterview Street (Balmain), West Wyalong, Wheat silos, White Bay, World War Two
Therese O'Neill

Therese O’Neill (1917-2009)

Therese O'Neill (nee Mahony) was born at Narrandera, New South Wales, in 1917 and, after moving to Yass, attended the opening ceremony of Parliament House in 1927. Recorded in 2007, she died in 2009.
Topics: Aborigines, Canberra, Clifton Hill, Colin Rose, Darlinghurst, Duke and Duchess of York, Family background, Hall (NSW), Hans Robertson, Jack Lang, Joe Lyons, Marriage, Marrickville, Mercy Catholic school (Yass), Milliners, Motorbikes, Narrandera, NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art), Opening ceremony 1927, Parents, Picnics, PMG (Post Master General), Religion, Schooling, Shirley Strickland, Yass, Mahony
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Nan Boyd

Nan Boyd was born in Melbourne and came to Canberra with her parents as a baby in 1926. The interview is rich in childhood and young adult memories of Canberra in the 1930s and 1940s. Her mother, Henrietta (nee Obbinson) was a pioneer in the Mothercraft movement in Canberra in the 1930s. Her fath...
Topics: Aborigines, Acton, American soldiers, Anthony Horden House, Armstrong Siddeley, Arthur Calwell, Arthur Daley, Arthur Rubinstein, Artur Schnabel, AWOL (Absent Without Leave), Baden-Powell, Balmain Crescent, Barry Lyons, Bert Dickson, Blue Moon Café, Bob Llewellyn, Brownies (Scouts), Campbell High School, Canberra, Canberra choir, Canberra Community Hospital, Canberra High School, Canberra Musical Society, Canberra Times, Canberra University College, Causeway, Charles Daley, Chicken pox, Childhood memories, Christian Science, Church of England, Cootamundra, Darling Point, Darwin, Dutch airmen, Eastlake, Elsternwick (Vic), Enid Lyons, Finnisterre Ranges, Geoff Daley, Gilbert and Sullivan, Girl Guides (Scouts), Helen Reynolds, Henrietta ‘Jessie’ Daley, Henrietta Obbinson, Hodgkin’s Disease, Horses, Hotel Canberra, Hotel Kurrajong, Housekeepers, Hyatt hotel, Interior Department, Italians, Ivan Menzies, Japanese, Joan Daley, Joe Lyons, Liversidge Street, Margaret ‘Meg’ Daley, Marjorie Dickson, Measles, Mothercraft, Musical Society, National Council of Women, New Guinea, Ormond College, Peoplescape, Pianists, Picnics, PLC (Presbyterian Ladies College), Port Moresby, Professor Allen, Provisional Parliament House, Recreation Hut, Manuka, Red Cross train, Religion, Repertory Society, Ronisch baby grand piano, Russell Hill, Scottish Church, Scouts, Second 7th Independent Company (Australian Army), Slums, St Andrew’s Presbyterian cathedral, St Christopher’s convent, Sydney Conservatorium, Ted Daley, Telopea Park school, Wally Campbell, Walter Burley Griffin Plan, Walter Gregory, Wartime (Canberra), World War Two, YWCA
Lesley Hindley

Lesley Hindley

Lesley Hindley (nee Hyde) speaks about her early associations with the provisional Parliament House, through working as a typist in the early 1950s to her husband Rob Chalmers’ long involvement with the Press Gallery as a journalist. Mrs. Hindley's daughter, Susan Pitt (nee Chalmers) sat in on th...
Topics: Aborigines, Adam Ingram & Son (Manuka, ACT), Air raid shelters, Alan Curtis, American servicemen (in Sydney), Archie Cameron, Arnott’s Biscuit factory, Australian Labor Party, Australian Press Services, Ballet Russes, Ballroom dancing, Barbara Brooks, Beauticians, Ben Chifley, Bill Dovey, Bill Lascott, Bill McMahon, Boarding houses, Bob Hawke, Bondi (Sydney), Brisbane Line (World War 2), Cold War, Communist Party of Australia, Daily Mirror (newspaper), David Fairbairn, Diplomats, Domestic Science, Don Whitington, Dot Moll [?], Dover Heights, High School (Sydney), Eda Hollitt, Election campaign (Labor, 1972), Family background, Faye Brooks, Federal Golf Club, Fred Coleman, George Kerr, Golf, Greg Hyde, Hairdressing college (Sydney), Harold Holt, Hastings Deering (Sydney), Havelock House, Hostels, Hotel Civic, Hugh Burn, Jack Commins, Joan Commins, John Gorton, John McEwen, Journalists, Journalists Ball (Canberra), Kevin Power, King’s Hall, Laddie Hindley, Lascott’s School of Ballroom Dancing, Lawley House, Les Love, Little Pattie, Madam Gossamer, Marcia Cain, Margaret Whitlam, Marriage, Melbourne Cup, Mick Burn, Mike Willesee, Mining engineers, Mount Isa (Qld), Narrabundah (ACT), New Norfolk (mental hospital, Tasmania), New Zealand, Peter Whitney, Press Gallery, Prime Minister’s Department, Primrose Coleman, Provisional Parliament House, Public Service Board, Ray Maley, Religion, Richard Carlton, Rob Chalmers, Robert Menzies, Ron McCawley, Rosa Hyde, Royal Canberra Golf Club, Rugby Union (North Island, New Zealand), Russia, Ruth Fairbairn, Sheila Phelan, Socialism, Susan Pitt, Sydney, Sydney High School, Tamie Fraser, Ted Cain, The Lodge, The Wellington (hotel), Wally Brooks, William Slim, World War Two, Zara Holt
Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

18 King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600, Australia

PO Box 3934
Manuka ACT 2603

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ABN: 30 620 774 963

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